Eckenshead Road
by E350
Summary: For Clockwork Orange King's Challenge. Family is one of the concepts that defines humanity - so it's even more important when you're being considered less then it. Rather dark, mild language.


Insert Witty Authors Note Here.  
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**Eckenshead Road**

_The police never recovered any suspicious evidence._

_Certainly, they grilled the neighbours, checked under every stone, even called in Crime Scene Investigations, but they only found what we wanted them to find. Small traces of human blood spread over the younger child's bedroom. A few weeks later, we ended all investigation by delivering two largely decomposed corpses to the forensics. Their conclusion was simple, and the case ended just as simply._

_They concluded Daniel and Jasmine Fenton were kidnapped and murdered. The police wrapped up the case, condolences were sent, the mayor talked about for a bit – then the whole thing faded to the back of the papers._

_We even provided a culprit to silence them even more. We planted it on the Mansons – pretended it was an organised affair. The stink of betrayal would drown the scent of us in any following investigations; we were clean._

_In actuality, of course, the Fenton children were too useful to be killed. They were taken to our research facilities near Carlisle, a town in the North-West of England. The location was in an old, mouldy orphanage – commissioned in the early nineteenth century by the navy so that they could nick the children for warships when they were old enough. Back then, it was called the Maurice Suckling Institute._

_We knew it by its address – Eckenshead Road. The finest biological research facility west of the Urals._

_The Fenton's arrived under the care of two goons from the Guys in White – we had informed them that they were infected by Ectoacne. Both agents were, of course, 'decontaminated'._

_Once that had been done, they were placed under the care of Professor Finbarr Calamitous – we had him working a quite…expensive…contract back then. The Professor had little time for them, and they were placed under control of our own ghost scientist, the then newly employed Doctor Penelope Spectra._

_They were coded and confined. The male was simply referred to as MIL-072 – that is to say, Male Irregular Lifeform of Confinement Block Seventy-Two. The female was redesignated FIL-072 – Female Irregular Lifeform of Confinement Block Seventy-Two._

_FIL-072 was extensively tested over the first week on a variety of tests, experiments and stimulants. We deducted that the irregularity of MIL-072 was not genetic – FIL-072 did not have any ectoplasmic genes. We elected to use FIL-072 as a test bed for recreating the conditions of MIL-072's genetic structure._

* * *

Danny paced in his bland, white cell, looking grim. For the past week, they had taken Jazz away before he had woken up, and returned her when he went to sleep. It was not like he could wake up earlier or sleep later, either – he was sedated at 8pm every day (at least he thought it was eight) and always woke up precisely at six in the morning.

The door to his cell opened, and Jazz was thrown inside. Danny did a double-take – she looked like someone had thrown her into a blender. Her skin was cut in several places, and the black jumpsuit all prisoners were forced to wear was burned in several places.

Danny glared at the guard who had brought her in – a redheaded teenager who looked like she worked here for the money. Danny knew her as Vicky.

"Change of plan, twerp," she snarled, "You're not being sedated anymore. We're just gonna come in and get you when we need something done."

What did you do to her?" snarled Danny.

"Why the heck are you asking me?" demanded Vicky, "I ain't a scientist."

She shut the door and walked away.

Danny clenched his fists, before crouching over the unconscious form of his sister. He gave an infuriated glare at his wristband, which cancelled out his powers – they called it the 'Gene Stabilizer.'

"We're gonna get out of here, Jazz," Danny whispered, "I promise."

_

* * *

After preliminary tests, we began to execute random testings, as we do with all subjects – sometimes there were days between experiments, other times, many occurred within a single twenty-four hour period. The aim was to ruin their sense of time – throw them out of sync with the rest of the world. It would complicate potential escape._

_Experiments of MIL-072 were extremely vigorous from the get go. After testing his physical and mental abilities, we decided to go the whole five hundred yards, and tested his regeneration. We removed its left ring finger by the use of a surgical knife while the subject was conscious, to see how long it would take to regrow. It took eight hours and twenty-three minutes – we deducted that it was useless in a combat situation._

_Dr. Spectra was in her element during these testings. Her enthusiasm was noted by someone higher up, and she was promoted ahead of Calamitous. Sections 072, 073 and 074 were placed under her direct influence._

_During a joint testing two months of the capture of MIL-072, both occupants of 074 Section, MIL-074 [formerly 'Eduardo'] and FIL-074 [formerly 'Coco'] attempted an escape from the facility. They were incapacitated by Security Officer Randall, and were deemed inappropriate for further testing. They were incinerated on the spot._

_We did not record any possible emotional effects this may have had on the other subjects._

* * *

Danny sat on the cell bench, his head in his hands.

"I could have saved them," he lamented, "I _should_ have saved them."

"Don't beat yourself up," soothed Jazz, "There was nothing you could do."

"I could've taken their place or something," moaned Danny.

"And what would that prove?" snapped Jazz, "They wouldn't have budged; they would just have killed the three of you at once!"

Danny gave a heavy sigh.

"I guest you're right," he decided, looking at his right hand. All fingers on it bar his pinkie were regrowing stubs.

Jazz looked at his hand and gritted her teeth.

"How is this even legal, Danny?" she demanded.

"I dunno, Jazz," replied Danny, sadly, "But we're gonna get through this."

_

* * *

Two months in, we began research on the ectoplasmic genome program. We wanted to replicate the effects of MIL-072's condition in FIL-072. Once this, and following testing, was done, Administration would decide whether or not experimentation would continue. If they denied, 072 would be closed – both subjects would be either executed or placed in stasis._

_Perhaps if we had not done this, if 072 had terminated on the end of the MIL-072 study, none of this would have happened. However, a scientist must present fact, not wander around in meaningless speculation._

_We set up a special unit. Dr. Spectra had command, as usual, with a few other scientists to man machinery. Guarding would be done by the regular 072 guard, Security Officer Victoria Delisle._

_Once the test was done, the scientists would be relocated, Officer Delisle would be placed in stasis, no one would be able to trace us should things go wrong._

_The first two weeks of testing were mundane work – brain scans, autopsies and the occasional blood sample. It was when we started the genome alteration when things went wrong._

* * *

"…Dr. Spectra, brain scans of FIL-072 are showing irregular activity."

Spectra glared at the scientist, who was looking over his console. The lab they were in was small – both subjects were strapped to a table, Danny constantly giving them menacing glares.

"If you bastards have done anything to her, I swear…" he growled.

"Danny…not now," groaned Jazz, holding her head.

"Is it a tumour?" mused Spectra, looking over the scan?

"No," the scientist replied, "More like a…clot. Its body doesn't seem to be accepting the DNA."

"You put a blood clot in Jazz's brain?" shouted Danny.

"Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves, Phantom," chuckled Spectra.

She turned her back on him.

"DAMN IT!" yelled Danny, "I GONNA KILL YOU, YOU BI-"

"Danny," snapped Jazz, "Don't yell! I've got a headache."

"I think we can rectify the problem, doctor," the scientist mused, "There's too much DNA – we missed a decimal place. Recommend removing the excess."

"Too dangerous," replied Spectra, "Anyone who touches its body will get a surge of raw ectoplasmic energy. It's the most random substance in existence, we can't predict…"

"Make the guard do it, then," shrugged the scientist, "She's expendable."

"What did you say?" demanded Vicky.

"It's either that, or we have to start over," the scientist reminded.

"Oh, yeah, who cares about a_ human life!_" snarled Danny.

"Syringe is on the table, officer," Spectra ordered, "It's your choice – do you wanna save it, or should we get a subject from 073?"

Vicky glanced over at Jazz and Danny.

Danny gave her a pleading look.

_

* * *

What happened next is quite remarkable._

_It appears Officer Delisle had a crisis of conscience, and elected to carry out the process. However, the moment she injected that needle, there was an adverse reaction from the ectoplasm. FIL-072 let out what appeared to be a burst of pure ectoplasmic energy._

_Records follow below. Dr. Spectra and Dr. Adams were killed instantly…_

* * *

Danny coughed as he picked himself up. The lab had been destroyed, and from what Danny could see of the hallway, much of the building had been wrecked. Spectra and the scientist were dead – he couldn't see Vicky.

Jazz was lying on the ground, coughing as she held her head.

"Jazz!" cried Danny, darting over to her.

Jazz let out a scream, and a burst of green energy blasted upwards, ripping the roof to shreds. The sky was now visible above them – only now did Danny realise it was late at night.

"Jazz, talk to me," pleaded Danny.

"It hurts," groaned Jazz, grimacing.

Danny held her hand.

"I felt that too," he confided, "It's what I felt when I first turned on the Portal. That time the Portal absorbed all the energy but it isn't here now, you have to subdue it yourself, or you'll burn up!"

"I-I can't," moaned Jazz, agonizingly.

"You can!" encouraged Danny, "Just think of everything you have to live for – like mom and dad, and that college diploma you're gonna get one day, and…me."

He let a tear flow down his cheek.

"Don't leave me here, Jazz," he pleaded, "You're my sister…you're the only one who knows what happened here…please don't die."

Danny wiped his eyes.

"Please."

Jazz gave a scowl of effort, and clenched her fists. There was the sound of thunder, and then all was still.

Jazz fell onto her back, and her eyes closed. Heart racing, Danny checked for a pulse – and was relieved to find one.

"Danny!"

Danny turned, and saw Sam, Tucker and…some kid with a gigantic head running towards him.

"Guys!" grinned Danny, "Err…who's this guy?"

"Jimmy," replied the boy, "Jimmy Neutron. Anyway, we don't have much time. Security will be all over us…"

"Help me with Jazz," Danny ordered, picking him up.

Tucker leant down to pick up her feet, and noticed a slight green glow around her.

"Danny," he asked, seriously, "What happened? Is she…"

Danny gave a half-grin.

"She's my sister, Tuck," replied Danny.

_

* * *

Eckenshead Road was destroyed – all samples of the works created by Section 072 were lost, bar what I am sending you._

_MIL-072 and FIL-072 are still at large. We need security personnel with their properties to properly track them down. Research in this field is more important then ever._

_I understand you have only just been introduced to Section Research. I warn you now – should any antiquated ideals of morality hold you back, there is position free – FIL-061 is a free position, in fact._

_I expect you will work to the best of ability on 072, Ms. Cheeks._

_Yours in respect,_

_[CLASSIFIED INFORMATION],  
C.H.I.M.P. Sciences,  
London, England._


End file.
